Collapsible mounting of arms,rods or branches on a central support

ABSTRACT

In this artificial tree the central bole comprises substantially rectangular openings off-set both laterally and vertically and each branch is adapted to engage a corresponding opening by means of a tenon formed integrally therewith and by being force-fitted therethrough. To this eand, each tenon comprises laterally projecting lips or catches adapted to undergo an elastic deformation when said tenon is introduced through the opening, the branch being subsequently retained in their inclined position by engaging with a heel the inner surface of said tubular hole. Internal cam means may be provided in said bole for actuating said tenon and thus fold the branches to an inoperative position alongside the bole. These cams may be carried by a common rod.

United States Patent [191 [111 3,801,415 Fristot Apr. 2, 1974 1COLLAPSIBLE MOUNTING 0F ARMS, Primary Examinerwilliam E. SChUlZ RODS ORBRANCHES ON A CENTRAL SUPPORT [76] Inventor: Alfred Jean Fristot,Domaine dArmont Faramans, Ain, France [22] Filed: Dec. 12, 1972 211App]. No.: 314,473

[52] US. Cl. 161/24, D29/1 [51] Int. Cl A47g 33/06 [58] Field of Search161/24, 22, 23; D29/l B [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS3,159,523 12/1964 Abramson 161/24 3,616,102 10/1971 Baus et al. 161/273,616,107 10/1971 Kershner 161/24 3,746,600 Circelli 161/22 Attorney,Agent, or Firm-Karl F. Ross; Herbert Dubno [57] ABSTRACT In thisartificial tree the central bole comprises substantially rectangularopenings off-set both laterally and vertically and each branch isadapted to engage a corresponding opening by means of a tenon formedintegrally therewith and by being force-fitted therethrough. To thiseand, each tenon comprises laterally projecting lips or catches adaptedto undergo an elastic deformation when said tenon is introduced throughthe opening, the branch being subsequently retained in their inclinedposition by engaging with a heel the inner surface of said tubular hole.Internal cam means may be provided in said bole for actuating said tenonand thus fold ,the branches to an inoperative position alongside thebole. These cams may be carried by a common rod.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures COLLAPSIBLE MOUNTING OF ARMS, RODS ORBRANCHES ON A CENTRAL SUPPORT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field ofthe Invention This invention relates more particularly but not exclusively to the mounting of rods of arms of an artificial tree orcluster on a central element constituting a bole, trunk or like centralupright, such as artificial trees for decorative purposes, notablyChristmas trees.

2. Description of the Prior Art Up to now, articles of the kind abovereferred to were designed in various ways, namely:

either with branches mounted permanently on the bole or stem, forexample by fitting on tenons,

or with branches separable from the bole or stem.

The inconvenience of the first solution lies on the one hand in theconsiderable over-all dimensions of the complete article during thestorage, transport, sale and private storage periods, i.e. outside theperiods of actual use, and on the other hand the fragility of themounting of the branches on the bole or stem, since the fitting tenonsare liable to break in case of careless or rough handling.

Besides, the trees designed according to case n 2 hereinabove are atleast partly free of the inconveniences mentioned in the precedingparagraph, but they require on the other hand considerable manpower forassembling the tree, an operation during which, furthermore, the orderin which the branches are preferably disposed must be observedcarefully, since these branches differ from one another by their sizeand inclination, length and width.

Other mountings have already been proposed wherein the branches arepivotally mounted to a central bole in a manner permitting of flodingthem alongside the bole. However, in these known mountings the means forfastening each branch in position is independent and involves the use ofsome auxiliary means or tools.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a differentmounting wherein the article is presented for sale in a fully assembledcondition but with its branches folded against the bole, the conversionto its operative position being obtained by releasing these brancheswhich, by tilting naturally about the means retaining them on the bole,assume automatically the inclined spread-out position imparted theretoby construction.

According to this invention the bole consisting in a manner known per seof a hollow tubular upright having openings formed in its wall atlocations off-set both angularly and vertically, each arm provided withits foliage or the like, formed by injection molding from a suitableplastic material comprises at its inner or root end a tenon also moldedintegrally with the branch and shaped to engage, and be retained by, oneof said openings while preserving the possibility, at the beginning ofits natural inclination resulting from the slope imparted to the lowerbearing surface of said tenon against the bole surface, or raising thearm to the vertical or substantially to the vertical so as to be foldedback against said bole and, conversely, in its released condition, toautomatically resume its initial, spread-out position.

According to a preferred form of embodiment of the invention each tenonhaving a thickness corresponding substantially to the width of theopening engageable thereby comprises at its lower portion a roundedcontour adapted slidably to engage the wall of the opening co-actingtherewith and, at its upper portion, a heel constituting an element forretaining said branch against the inner wall of the bole, in combinationwith a lower, stopforming element adapted to engage or bear on theopposite side against the outer surface of said bole.

According to another specific feature characterising this invention eachtenon aforesaid advantageously comprises, on each one of its lateraledges, lips or catch means adapted, by temporary elastic deformation, topenetrate through the bole opening during the assembling or mountingoperation so as to subsequently prevent the untimely removal of thebranch from outside, without interfering with the free folding movementof the branches.

According to a complementary and advantageous arangement the branchesare adapted to be folded positively and separately against the centralbole by a cam member the rotation of which causes a thrust to be exertedagainst the upper edge of the tenon registering with said cam member,all the cam members being carried by a common rod disposed internally ofsaid bole and adapted to be rotated through manual, mechanical,electrical or other means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational viewof a single branch with its anchoring tenon;

FIG. 2 is a plane view from above with a section taken along the line 22of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an axial section showing one portion of the bole with a fewbranches mounted thereon, in their outspread position; and

FIG. 4'illustrates the mechanical folding system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Each branch 1 is moldedintegrally with its foliage 2 and carries at its root end. a tenon 3comprising:

an inner semi-cylindrical surface 4,

a heel 5 formed at its upper end,

a stop portion 6 imitating the natural portion connecting the branch toits bole, and

a pair of lateral lips or catches 7.

The bole 8 consists of a hollow tube in which rectangular openings 9 areformed. Preferably, these openings 9 are off-set both angularly andvertically from one another.

To mount one of these branches in the corresponding opening it is onlynecessary to present this branch in a position substantially parallel tothe bole and to engage by force the tenon 3 through the opening bycausing the temporary defonnation of the lips or catches 7. When theselips or catches 7 have cleared the thickness of tube 8 they resume theirinitial position, thus preventing any untimely or undesired removal ofthe branch. Thus, when the branch is released the weight of its foliagecauses same to tilt downwards and outwards so as to spread the branchout until its stop portion 6 engages the outer bole surface, theretaining function being devolved to the heel 5.

It is clear that the inclination imparted to the stop portion 6 willdetermine the natural inclination of the branche, which inclination mayvary from one branch to another as in a real tree.

Under these conditions it is clear that by applying a movement in thereverse direction to these branches they can be raised and foldedagainst the bole (i.e. in the position shown in thick lines in FIG. 4).

This folding movement may be obtained either manually, the branchesbeing retained in their folded position by a tie element wound thereon,or mechanically, without using any tie means, by providing (see FIG. 4)at the level of each tenon 3 a cam rigid with a rod 11 adapted, whenrotated about its axis, to cause said cam to engage the projecting heel5 and thus push the tenon 3 so as to cause the branch to pivot about thebearing point assumed thereby through its heel 5 engaging the inner wallof the bole 8, and thus fold the branch against the bole. Of course,this cam registers with the tenon of each branch and all the cams,suitably off-set angularly and vertically are rigid with a common rod 11so that when this rod 11 is rotated all the arms can be foldedsimultaneously.

Of course, various modifications and variations may be brought to thespecific form of embodiment of this invention which is shown anddescribed herein by way of example, as will readily occur to thoseconversant with the art, without departing from the basic principle ofthe invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim as new is:

l. Collapsible mounting of arms, rods or branches on a common centralsupport, more particularly for constituting artificial decorative trees,such as Christmas or other trees comprising a bole consisting of ahollow tube having a plurality of openings formed through its wall, saidopenings being off-set both angularly and vertically, wherein eachbranch formed integrally by plastic injection molding with its foliage,comprises at its root end a tenon also molded integrally with saidbranch, having a contour permitting of lockingly engaging one of saidopenings while preserving the possibility, from its natural inclinedposition resulting from the inclination given to the lower bearingsurface of said tenon which engages the bole surface, of being raisedand folded to a vertical or substantially vertical position alongsidesaid bole, and conversely, when said branch is released, of allowingsaid branch to automatically resume its initial, out-spread position.

2. Mounting as set forth in claim 1, wherein each tenon, having athickness corresponding substantially to the width of the openingthrough which it can be inserted into said bole, comprises at its lowerportion a rounded contour adapted slidably to engage the wall of theopening engaged thereby, and, at its upper portion, a heel acting as aretaining element for said branch by engaging in the out-spread positionthereof the inner wall of the bole, in combination with a lower stopportion adapted to engage on the opposite side the outer wall of saidhole.

3. Mounting as set forth in claim 1, wherein each .tenon comprisesprojecting catch member adapted, when forced through said opening, toundergo an elastic deformation so as to penetrate into the bole andsubsequently prevent any untimely or undesired removal of thecorresponding branch.

4. Mounting as set forth in claim 1, wherein said branches are adaptedto be folded against the bole by positive means comprising for eachbranch a cam member adapted, when rotated, to exert a thrust against theupper edge of the registering tenon, all the cams of the device beingcarried by a common rod disposed within said bole and adapted to berotate through manual, me-

chanical, electrical or other control means.

1. Collapsible mounting of arms, rods or branches on a common centralsupport, more particularly for constituting artificial decorative trees,such as Christmas or other trees comprising a bole consisting of ahollow tube having a plurality of openings formed through its wall, saidopenings being off-set both angularly and vertically, wherein eachbranch formed integrally by plastic injection molding with its foliage,comprises at its root end a tenon also molded integrally with saidbranch, having a contour permitting of lockingly engaging one of saidopenings while preserving the possibility, from its natural inclinedposition resulting from the inclination given to the lower bearingsurface of said tenon which engages the bole surface, of being raisedand folded to a vertical or substantially vertical position alongsidesaid bole, and conversely, when said branch is released, of allowingsaid branch to automatically resume its initial, out-spread position. 2.Mounting as set forth in claim 1, wherein each tenon, having a thicknesscorresponding substantially to the width of the opening through which itcan be inserted into said bole, comprises at its lower portion a roundedcontour adapted slidably to engage the wall of the opening engagedthereby, and, at its upper portion, a heel acting as a retaining elementfor said branch by engaging in the out-spread position thereof the innerwall of the bole, in combination with a lower stop portion adapted toengage on the opposite side the outer wall of said bole.
 3. Mounting asset forth in claim 1, wherein each tenon comprises projecting catchmember adapted, when forced through said opening, to undergo an elasticdeformation so as to penetrate into the bole and subsequently preventany untimely or undesired removal of the corresponding branch. 4.Mounting as set forth in claim 1, wherein said branches are adapted tobe folded against the bole by positive means comprising for each brancha cam member adapted, when rotated, to exert a thrust against the upperedge of the registering tenon, all the cams of the device being carriedby a common rod disposed within said bole and adapted to be rotatethrough manual, mechanical, electrical or other control means.